The present invention relates to an electrical connector assembly having a cable connector and a receptacle connector, which are fitted to each other to connect on a fitting surface formed on a circumferential face of a housing.
As such an electrical connector assembly, for example, a connector disclosed in Patent Reference has been known. The electrical connector assembly of Patent Reference has a fitting surface, which is formed by side wall surfaces and an end wall surface that is perpendicular to the side walls, and has a rear end wall surface for a cable's extending side of a cable connector.
In Patent reference, a receptacle connector has a fitting protrusion on a side wall surface, which faces inward, so as to form a locking unit to prevent a connector from coming off by having the fitting protrusion locked in a fitting recess of the cable connector upon fitting of a cable connector thereto. The locking unit is provided on the side wall surface at a position on the rear portion that is to be on the extending side of a cable. Further, a cam surface made of a slanted surface is provided at the front part on a side wall face of the both connectors.
When the cable is pulled backward after fitting of the connectors, the force will generate a force component that is directed upward on the cam surfaces of the both connectors, i.e. a force component in a direction of pulling out the connector. With the force, it is possible to easily pull out the connector against the locking force by the locking unit.
Patent Reference: Japanese Patent Publication No. 2002-033150
In case of the connector of Patent Reference, needless to say, not only when force to pull the cable of the cable connector backward is intentionally applied, but also when such force is unexpectedly applied, the locking unit becomes released and thereby the connector may become come off, i.e. unexpectedly come off.
In case of a cable connector, the cable may often unexpectedly receive undue force having a component in the pulling-out direction. In a case of the connector of Patent reference, if the cable unexpectedly receives such undue force, even if such force is the one in a simple cable-extending direction, it generates a force component in the upward direction due to the function of the cam surfaces and thereby the connector comes off. In addition, if the undue force on the cable originally has a component in the upward direction, the cable's coming off tendency is more significant.
In view of the above-described problems, an object of the invention is to provide an electrical connector assembly, in which a connector of a cable connector does not come off even if the cable unexpectedly receives undue force and even if such undue force includes a component in an upward direction, unless the cable connector is being intentionally pulled out.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the invention.